Comdisco tapped as preferred vendor

Columbia/HCA has selected Comdisco Medical Equipment Group asthe preferred vendor of reconditioned imaging and laboratory equipmentfor its 325 acute-care hospitals.

Just what the agreement will produce in term of new businessis unclear, but Comdisco chief executive Kenneth A. Halversoninterprets the designation to mean his company is on the insidetrack for future sales.

"We think it is a strong endorsement of what we've donein the refurbished equipment business," he said.

The preferred relationship applies to refurbished MRI, CT andultrasound systems and laboratory equipment, such as blood gasanalyzers and centrifuges, according to Neal Lulofs, Comdiscosenior communications manager.

Comdisco Medical generated $100 million in revenue in fiscal1994, Lulofs said. About $22 million came from reconditioned equipmentsales, and the rest originated from Comdisco's medical equipmentleasing business.